Sustainable Living & Sustainable Lifestyle
Check out these tips on how to throw an eco-friendly Super Bowl party.
Check out these tips on how to throw an eco-friendly Super Bowl party.
Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner and for many going green is not top of mind. With the excitement around the game, commercials and the all important Super Bowl party, it can be easy to forget about all the eco-friendly options available to you. However, this year is being hailed as the greenest Super Bowl ever and if the largest sporting event in the world can go green so can you. Regardless of what team you are rooting for, keeping the environment healthy for future generations can bring fans together.
The NFL has made a commitment to go green for this year’s Super Bowl and we welcome this change, whether it is a fantastic PR stunt or a true desire to become eco-friendly. They have worked to upgrade the stadium with energy efficient lighting and ventilating system which will help reduce energy consumption. Embracing the electric vehicles (EVs), the NFL has put in charging stations outside of the stadium making sure the eco-conscious fans can get home on a full charge. There are also recycling programs for aluminum, plastic, glass, cardboard and even a program for compostable food bags collecting food waste from the stadium kitchens. The NFL also partnered with Green Mountain Energy to provide renewable energy certificates that offset the greenhouse gases produced by powering the Super Bowl facilities and venues.
All of this leads back to the question of if the Super Bowl can go green, why can’t you? We have compiled the following tips aimed at helping you do your part to make this a Green Super Bowl.
Whether you plan to host a Super Bowl party for the whole neighborhood or just enjoy it with family, break out the real plates, silverware and glassware. Those paper plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups just add to the landfill waste and pollute the environment during production. Not to mention you can impress your guest and make them feel at home with your traditional tableware and glassware. While you will likely use energy and water resources when cleaning up, it will be far less of an impact than the production of the single use items and the trash they produce.
Chicken wings and nachos are messy, so you have to be prepared with napkins and towels. Just consider using cloth napkins and towels, the planet will thank you. Thousands of trees are sacrificed just to help wipe the barbeque sauce off your mouth each year, but you have the power to save them. Yes, we are being a little sarcastic here but the point still holds true. You will reduce landfill waste from the packaging and paper products by handing out reusable cloth napkins.
Don’t contribute to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by using bottled water for you or your guests. Filtered tap water is no different than what you are drinking out of a bottle; in some cases it may even be healthier. Use a filtration water pitcher
Beers, sodas and other beverages are a staple at nearly any Super Bowl event. Consider using a keg for larger parties to reduce the amount of waste single serve beverages produce. If that is not an option, provide recycle bins for glass, aluminum, plastics and cardboard. If you make them readily available your clean-up job will be easier and more eco-friendly.
Super Bowl is a time when many people consider purchasing a new big screen TV. Our neighbors were very excited about the new 97” flat screen TV that they just purchased, just in time to host the street’s Super Bowl party. If you plan to purchase a new TV, look for an energy star rated model. Their yearly operating costs are clearly marked on most major electronics, so take a moment to read up on the model you are interested in. A few extra minutes of comparison shopping can add up to a lot of energy savings and helping lower your electric bill.
Image: Elvert Barnes
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